A second major Ohio newspaper has printed a letter to the editor from Ohioans for Concealed Carry President Jeff Garvas.

Two days after writing a horribly misinformed anti-CCW editorial, the Columbus Dispatch printed Garvas' letter (subscription site- paid access only).

Garvas' letter was published on November 18 in the Zanesville Times Recorder, and can be read by clicking here.

"With two weeks worth of legislative sessions remaining this year, lawmakers hope to reach a compromise on legislation that would allow Ohioans to carry concealed handguns, while satisfying law enforcement officials' concerns and avoiding the veto of Gov. Bob Taft, according to officials."

"The amendments will try to bridge the gap between the bill's current supporters, including members of the gun lobby, and its opponents, who include Taft and the Fraternal Order of Police. Taft has said he would veto a bill that lacked the support of law enforcement."

OFCC PAC Commentary:
In reading this entire Columbus Daily Reporter article, it is obvious this reporter, Jeremy Holden, has only got contact information in his rolodex for those who oppose this bill.

Interested persons may email Mr. Holden suggestions on others from whom he should get quotes if he wants to file a more accurate, complete report. You may also wish to email his boss, editor Cindy Ludlow.

On Thanksgiving Day, the Columbus Dispatch printed an embarrassing (for them) editorial about concealed carry that can be found by clicking here (subscription site - paid access only or you can read our archived version by clicking the "Read More..." link below.

The incredibly flawed editorial suggests that the Buckeye State Sheriff's Association supports HB274 because they would profit from the licensure fees.

Anyone who bothered to read the bill would know that this is absolute hogwash. According to HB274, as passed by the House, sheriffs are required to create a special fund, and the proceeds can only be used to run the license process and firearm safety training.

The Dispatch editors can be written at letters@dispatch.com. As always when writing letters to the editor, they are more likely to be printed if they are short, and especially if you live in the Dispatch's distribution area.

OFCC PAC Commentary:
Shouldn't it be a requirement that persons employed on editorial boards of newspapers actually know what they're talking about?

Anyone who desires to honestly report on this issue wouldn't go to these lengths to lie about the contents of the bill.

The Senate Judiciary Committee (Civil Justice) has announced hearing schedules for HB274 as follows:

Tues., Dec. 3, 10:00 a.m. - Senate Hearing Room 110 - Invited proponent testimony only

Tues., Dec. 3, 2:00 p.m. or post-session (time permitting) - Senate Hearing Room 110

Wed., Dec. 4, 11:00 a.m. (may reconvene after Senate session if necessary) - North Hearing Room - Proponent & Opponent testimony

Thurs., Dec. 5, 9:00 a.m. - South Hearing Room - Consideration of amendments, possible vote out of committee.

We highly encourage EVERYONE who can make the trip to Columbus do so to attend one or more of these hearings.

If you own an OFCC shirt (denim, polo, etc) please wear it to these meetings.

Further details will be posted to our website as they are obtained.

A Hamilton County judge Tuesday refused to order the city of Cincinnati to turn over documents that gun manufacturers say might be evidence supporting the city's allegations that gun makers are responsible for the unauthorized ways criminals obtain firearms.

Attorneys for the gun companies say that, despite their pleas, the city has failed to produce any statistics or reports to support its contentions.

In a motion filed last month, they asked Common Pleas Judge Robert Ruehlman to order the city to comply with their requests.

"I'm not going to micromanage this case," the judge said Tuesday. "I'm not going to box (the city) in right now. I think we've got some perimeters set down. If they can't prove it, then that will be part of (a request for dismissal)."

Click here to read the entire story in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The state Senate race between Republican incumbent Jeffry Armbruster and Democratic challenger Sue Morano is headed for a recount, the secretary of state's office said Tuesday.

The certified vote showed Armbruster beat Morano by a margin of 47,856 to 47,482 -- a difference of 374 votes, Dana Walch, Blackwell's director of elections, wrote to boards of election in Lorain, Huron and Seneca counties.

The difference is four-tenths of 1 percent of the total vote, meaning a recount is mandatory under Ohio law.

Cick on the "Read More..." link below for details on how your support for OFCC PAC made the difference in this close race, and for a link to the entire story.

Gov. Bob Taft is leaning toward making legislation requiring safe storage of firearms a new condition for winning his approval of a bill that would allow Ohioans to carry concealed weapons, a well-placed Statehouse source said Monday.

The safe-storage provision would be in addition to Taft’s requirement that any concealed-weapons bill have the support of major law enforcement groups, said the source, who declined to be identified.

Click on the "Read More..." Link below for OFCC PAC analysis, and a link to the entire story.

The Ohio State University may have won the fight against Michigan on the field Saturday, but they STILL haven't won the fight against the Buckeye Campus-area Rapist, who has been victimizing female OSU students at will since mid-summer.

University Police Chief Ron Michalec has said he is "not in favor of people walking around with a concealed weapon. The police are here to protect. That is what people should rely on."

But by their own admission, and after nearly five months, university officials' efforts to protect OSU's female students have failed.

According to an email received from campus officials and forwarded to the PAC by a concerned OSU student, "the university, working with city and campus police, has issued several crime alerts urging all area residents to follow basic safety advice" over the past few months. In spite of these safety alerts, "a rapist and burglar operating in the campus area has attacked several young women in their campus area apartments and homes
during the past few months."

Click on the "Read More..." link below to read the ground-breaking, earth-shattering self-defense wisdom university and law enforcement officials are sharing with their students.

A story in Friday's Bucyrus Telegraph Forum, has made it perfectly clear: A Senate vote on HB274 is expected in December.

"A bill allowing Ohioans to carry concealed weapons could be voted on by the Senate in early December, nine months after the House approved the measure."

"Sen. Jeff Jacobson, R-Phillipsburg, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Civil Justice committee, this week met with representatives from law enforcement and gun rights groups to discuss possible compromise language to be inserted into the controversial bill."

"'I'm encouraged by the reception so far,'" he said. 'Hopefully, we'll have a vote next time (the Senate convenes).'"

Yet, as we've been warning you for weeks, there is plenty of cause for concern: Click on the "Read More..." link below for the entire story.

The Zanesville Times has printed another
pro-CCW letter to the editor, about politics, the history of concealed carry in Ohio, the lawsuit, and more. The author of the letter did a real number on the FOP.

While we don't endorse this attitude of futility at this point in time, the letter definitely summarizes what many pro-CCW voters may feel should they wake up Jan. 1, 2003 without Concealed Carry Reform Legislation as law.

One technical note: The author denounces then-Atty. Gen. Betty Montgomery for appealing a decision by the First District Court of Appeals concerning the lawsuit OFCC is a part of in Hamilton County. It is important to realize that Betty Montgomery's obligations under the Ohio Constitution require her to fight for the laws passed by the General Assembly, regardless of her personal position (or the administrations position), through the Ohio Supreme Court. Had Montgomery refused to do this, the Ohio Supreme Court may not have been in a position to rule on these landmark decisions and she would have violated her oath.